Long live the king!

His Royal Highness El Rey Gato, Fiesta’s pussycat king, weighs in at 18 pounds, is robed in furry raiment and has a handsome train (truth is, it’s a tail). Otherwise known as King Louie the First, he rules the heart and household of Anna-Laura Howell, president of the Animal Defense League’s board of directors and longtime champion of the underdog — and cat.

(Courtesy photos)

The pussycat king is gathering loyal subjects by the dozens these days as Anna-Laura makes the rounds of Fiesta events, passing out medals featuring his likeness. But Louie was a common street cat when Anna-Laura first met him and his rise to royalty began. Here’s the story:

Louie arrived from who-knows-where and was hanging around a parts place. The hard-working guys petted him and put out food from time to time. He was getting by. But it wasn’t like having a swell sofa to sleep on or a family to call his own. Deep down, Louie longed to be a pet.

Anna-Laura drove into the parts place one day and Louie took one look at her kind face and came running. The lady behind the wheel already had animal overload and didn’t need another, but what could she do? Louie clearly was looking for affection and a chance to improve his social standing. She couldn’t get him off her mind.

The weather turned rainy and chilly. Anna-Laura kept thinking about poor Louie out there in the elements. Before she knew it, she was behind the wheel again and driving to the parts place with a request to adopt the big kitty. The parts guys were glad to oblige and glad their pal Louie had found a good home. They petted him one last time and told him he was a mighty lucky cat.

A stop at the vet’s was necessary. The king-to-be had a sort of pussycat cold. Once that was cured, Anna-Laura took him to meet her other pets and purr-sonable Louie liked them all and they all liked him and accepted him as their new leader.

From the first, It was clear to Anna-Laura that Louie would adorn this year’s bottle-cap pet pin. He was a natural for the honor she has been bestowing on one of her menagerie for 13 Fiestas now. The pin celebrates the joy companion animals can bring and reminds people to be compassionate and kind to the four-footed creatures that share our planet. A cat almost always is pictured on the bottle cap’s interior. Occasionally, however, one of her dogs gets into the act and is known as El Rey Perro. Fiesta medal enthusiasts consider any Anna-Laura pin highly collectible.

About 2,000 pet medals are made annually. At Fiesta’s opening ceremonies this year, Anna-Laura handed out about 300 and is still going strong. Meanwhile, El Rey Gato, King Louie the First, has been staying at home resting, relaxing and enjoying his new soft life. The royal purr-sonage commands attention by strutting around with one fang showing. When not snoozing on the sofa, his official “throne,” he often can be found climbing ladders. And he talks! Anna-Laura says: “Louie is a very vocal cat.”

Possibly the pussycat king is meowing to encourage his public to donate to the new cattery now under construction at the Animal Defense League. It’s going to be a great place to house homeless felines but donations are still needed to make it the best it can be.

Recently Louie had to take time out from heading this ADL fund-raising campaign. He was coughing like crazy–a problem with hairballs. The vet suggested getting a lion cut for the kitty, thereby taming his long fur and cutting down on the coughing condition. Anna-Laura did just that and thinks her cat looks cool with his new coiffure. And the number of hairballs?

“We have a lot less.”

So, raise your margarita glass to Louie, the lion king and the king of domestic beasts. He proves a former street cat can become a style setter, a role model and an advocate for animals.